1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric apparatus with safety connector for preventing electric shock, in particular in the automotive sector.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, the automotive sector, especially (but not exclusively) in the case of using hybrid propulsion, makes wide use of electric machines provided with associated circuits and power supply base plates.
Current regulations in many countries require the preparation of measures to avoid the risk of electric shock, in particular in case of maintenance, during which the operator may accidentally come into contact with live parts of the electric circuit.
For example, in the US there are regulations that require the use of devices or procedures that prevent the operator from coming into contact with live parts for a certain time interval, for example 5 seconds, after power is disconnected from the electric circuit to be maintained.
In practice, it is necessary to make live parts of the circuit inaccessible by the operator for a certain time interval after the electric circuit itself is opened: this time interval must be sufficient to allow the capacitors of the electric circuit to discharge so as to prevent any risk of electric shock to the maintainer.
For this purpose, solutions are known of covers that perform the function of both mechanical coverage of live parts and that of opening the electric circuit. For example, a first outer cover, when removed, opens the electric circuit and allows access to a second cover, which can have the mere function of mechanical protection. The time required to remove the second cover ensures the aforementioned discharge of the capacitors.
From a technical point of view, these known solutions are able to provide the operator the necessary electrical protection.
Nevertheless, such solutions are not without drawbacks.
In fact, the solutions known to date are relatively expensive because they require the production of multiple covers that have the function of actual mechanical protection and the function of integrating portions of the power supply circuit, to short-circuit it following assembly and open it following disassembly.
These are, therefore, ad hoc solutions that increase the costs of components that, in the automotive sector, must remain extremely low.
Therefore, there is a need to solve the drawbacks and limitations mentioned in reference to the prior art.
Therefore the need is felt to make available a safety connector for electric circuits that is not only efficient from a safety point of view but also economical from the point of view of production and assembly costs.